All the King's Horses
by xthesegoldeneyesx
Summary: New Moon-esque. For months, Edward has longed to return to Forks. When Alice has a vision that leads him back into the arms of his Bella, will the all-too-persistent Mike Newton destroy their chances for a happily forever after?
1. Prologue: Eight Words

**Author's Note: Okay, so new story here. I more than likely won't be posting any future chapters until I finish "Lovestruck", but I wanted to give you all a little taste. This story is going to be sad, I won't lie. **

**Here it is: the prologue. By the way, I don't own Twilight.**

_It will be as if I'd never existed. _

It's unbelievable how those eight simple words had the power to change everything. Those eight words had robbed me of any desire to live…or whatever it was that I did. I had uttered that godforsaken sentence to save _her_. My angel. My Bella. Little did I know that in "saving" her, I would rip her apart.

I knew Bella was in pain. Excruciating pain. Every now and then, I would catch glimpses of her agony in Alice's head as she experienced an involuntary vision. Alice wasn't looking for Bella's future, but it somehow found its way into her sight.

Bella waking up in the middle of the night. Screaming.

Bella crying silently as she sat on her bed.

Bella curled into a ball, shaking uncontrollably.

Each vision brought me one step closer to the edge. I was close, so close to just plunging into total oblivion. I didn't think anymore. I felt nothing other than the stabbing pain of losing my life, my love.

I wanted nothing more than to crawl back to Forks and beg her to forgive me. But would she be able to? In leaving, I had broken her. Would my Bella ever smile again? Would she ever feel genuinely happy? I liked to think that she would forget me, but I knew it was unlikely. That thought was the only thing that kept me from her:

_She'll be alright. She'll forget you in time._

I needed to believe that she would.

_This is what's best. She'll have a life. _

In giving Bella a life, I was losing mine.

**A/N: Well? Tell me what you think!**


	2. Someone Else

**Author's Note: Let me apologize ahead of time for the short chapter. I got four reviews in the first three days that this story was posted, so I decided I would write another chapter. And here it is.**

**Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight, or the lyrics to "Womanizer". **

I was running.

It used to be an outlet for me, something I enjoyed. Now, with every step I took, I was reminded of Bella. How she used to cling to me, burying her head in my shoulder to prevent motion sickness. I longed to feel her warm arms holding me, her body wrapped around my cold frame. I wanted to hear her accelerated heartbeat as I flew through the forest.

But I felt nothing other than the wind as it rushed past. The only sounds I heard were those of the forest around me. That was the way I liked it, though. If I couldn't feel Bella, I didn't want to feel anything at all.

I was headed toward the house my family had been staying at for the past seven months. It wasn't home, it was merely a dwelling. Home was back in Forks, and that is where it would always be. Home was holding Bella in my arms, her sweet freesia scent torturing me. Oh, but what a sweet torture it was! Maybe I _am_ a masochist. No matter how much pain I endured because of Bella's scent, I somehow couldn't stay away.

At least, that's how it used to be. I had managed to stay away for seven entire months, but just barely. Every day was killing me. I knew I couldn't die, but being away from Bella had me feeling closer to death than ever. The pain alone was enough to leave me almost unconscious, another impossible feat. This parting was causing me even more pain than Bella's blood.

_If that's the case, why am I still not with her? If being near her but controlling myself was easier than being away, then why couldn't I just go back?_

I knew the answer. I wasn't doing this because I couldn't control myself. I knew that I could, for the most part. Every time I touched her, every slow, torturous kiss, was living proof of that fact. I _could_ control myself around Bella, but she needed more than that. She _deserved _more than that.

Bella deserved a _real_ relationship. I didn't doubt that what we had was real, but she deserved a loving boyfriend who could give her everything she wanted. I couldn't do that for her. I couldn't give her any physical aspects of a relationship. It would have been too hard to control myself. She needed someone who didn't have to hold back. Who didn't have to worry about crushing her every time he touched her. Bella deserved someone she could be with for the remainder of her life, someone she could grow old with. I couldn't do that for her. She needed someone she could have children with.

What a sight Bella's children would be. They would be undoubtedly beautiful, just like her. Perhaps with deep, chocolate eyes and soft mahogany hair. I could see them in my mind's eye. But what was this? A child with blue eyes? Or maybe with dark skin and black hair. Traits that didn't belong to Bella. No, these traits were acquired from the children's father. Who would it be? Mike Newton? Jacob Black? The only thing I knew for certain was that it wouldn't be me. There would never be a child with bronze hair and dark brown eyes. Even if I had stayed, it would have been impossible. Bella was destined to bear the children of some other man.

A furious growl ripped from my chest at the thought of Bella with anyone other than me. I was meant to be with her, that much I knew for certain. But I couldn't damn her like that. She deserved a life. A life without fear, or vampires, or anything of the sort. A normal life. I couldn't give her any of that.

I heard the thoughts of my family seep into my mind. I was getting closer.

_I hope he's in a better mood this time. Last time he checked in, he was so depressed. I've never seen Edward like that before. I'm so worried about him. Maybe leaving Forks wasn't the right thing…_

That was just like Esme. She was constantly worrying about me. I told her that I was fine, but she saw right through it.

_Dude, I can't beat these stupid aliens! I wonder if there's a cheat code I could use. Or I'll just ask Alice if she sees me beating these things. Damn it! No! I died again!_

I think that "Emmett" is all that could be said about that.

_Daddy-O, you got the swagger of a champion. Too bad for you, you just can't find the right companion. I guess when you've had one too many, makes it hard. It could be easy, who you are. That's just who you are baby…_

It took me a moment to figure out who that was. No one in my family listened to music like that. I realized that it was Alice, and her mental singing of that song could only mean one thing:

She was hiding something from me.

**A/N: I pinky swear that all of my other chapters will be longer than this, but I just wanted to get the first official chapter posted. The last one was just a prologue.**

**Let me know how I did! Reviews make my daily life so much better!**

**Happy Holidays everyone!**

**Love you all.**


	3. Pictures

**Author's Note: Hi everyone! You've all given me such lovely, wonderful reviews, and I feel so loved. I really hadn't planned on getting really involved in this story quite yet, but the demand for updates was more than I expected. So here it is: the next chapter! **

**By the way, I don't own Twilight. Or "Womanizer". Haha.**

**Enjoy!**

The door swung open before I was on the porch, and Esme threw herself at me.

"Edward," she cried without tears. "I missed you. More than I can say."

"I know, Esme. I missed you too."

"Please, Edward. Don't leave us again," she begged. "Stay. You'll be happier here."

Carlisle appeared in the doorway behind her. He smiled slightly.

"Esme, dear, let's not rush into things. Edward has only just arrived. Give him time to say hello to everyone." I nodded once in his direction, a silent thank-you.

_You're not staying, are you?_

I shot him a pleading look. It begged for understanding.

_I know, Edward. Leaving Forks has been hard on you. But we __**all**__ loved Bella, and your being gone doesn't do anything to help the fact that we miss her. Your leaving is hard on all of us. Esme especially._

I stared at him, a mask of pain and frustration on my face. Did no one understand the pain I was feeling? Of course everyone missed Bella, but none of them had the same connection to her that I did. She was my other half, for Christ's sake! Did Carlisle actually believe that everyone else could _begin_ to want her back as much as I did? Impossible.

_We don't have to talk about it now. But we will talk._

I nodded once again and followed Esme into the house. I would speak with Carlisle, but it would not change anything. I was leaving again. I couldn't stay here, or everyone else would be miserable. There was no reason for my existence anymore. I didn't do anything besides hunt. And suffer. That was my life now.

"Hey, Edward!" Emmett pried himself away from his video game long enough to clap me on the shoulder, and he sank to the floor once again and was lost in his own world of aliens and superpowers.

Everyone else said their hellos, but Alice, usually the bubbliest of all, said a small "hi" and went right back to singing Britney Spears's "Womanizer" in her head. I eyed her suspiciously, but she shrugged and continued the song.

_Lollipop. Must mistake me for a sucker to think that I would be the victim of another "say it, play it how you want it". But no way, I'm never gonna fall for you. Never you, baby. Womanizer, woman, womanizer, you're a womanizer. Oh, womanizer. Oh, you're a womanizer baby. You, you, you are, you, you, you are, womanizer, womanizer, womanizer, womanizer…_

"Alice, may I please speak to you alone for a moment?" I asked pleasantly. I saw her tense for a second before she replied.

"Sure. Could you guys give us some privacy?"

Carlisle nodded his head and led the rest of the family out the front door. Alice turned to me and smiled politely, all the while singing that song in her head.

_Maybe if we both lived in a different world, it would be all good and maybe I could be your girl. But I can't, 'cause we don't. You…Womanizer, woman, womanizer…_

"Was there something you needed, Edward?"

I glared at her.

"Edward?"

"You're hiding something. And I want you to tell me what it is."

"I don't know what you're talking about," she said defiantly.

"Don't you? Why have you been mentally singing "Womanizer" since I was close enough to hear your thoughts?"

"I happen to enjoy that song."

"Really? Because I was under the impression that you detested Britney Spears."

"Edward, can't you just trust me? You don't want to know what I saw."

An image burst into my head, but I barely caught a glimpse before Alice started singing again. Barely. I _had_ seen a broken Bella, curled up on the floor of her bedroom.

My unneeded breath caught in my throat.

"So it's about Bella, then?"

Alice nodded somberly.

"Please, Alice. Please. I need to know. What's wrong with her?"

"Nothing's wrong with her, Edward. Yet."

"What do you mean by that?"

She hesitated.

"Well…you see…she sort of…oh, hold on. I'll show you." She closed her eyes and brought her previous thoughts to the front of her mind, where I was able to see them clearly.

Bella was standing in front of her bathroom mirror, attempting to use cover-up to hide the red blotches produced by her crying. That in itself was odd. Bella rarely used make up, and when she did, it was just a subtle layer of eye shadow. The next image flashed across my mind, and I saw someone hold the passenger side door of a Suburban open while Bella climbed inside. The person holding the door had looked strangely like…no. It couldn't be.

But it was. As I picked the final image from Alice's head, I knew that it would be burned into my mind for the rest of eternity. It was one of Bella, sitting in a crowded movie theater. I felt a growl rumbling in my chest as I noticed the person sitting next to her.

Mike Newton.

That vile, loathsome, pathetic excuse for a human sat next to _my_ Bella, but that wasn't even the worst part. He was pulling "the move". He fake-stretched, his one arm falling across her shoulders. She shifted uncomfortably in her seat, biting her lip. Then it ended.

"What the hell was that?" I asked Alice, my voice shaking with fury.

"Now, Edward. It's not what you think…"

"Not what I think?" I roared. "Because I _think_ that she was on a date with Mike Newton! I _think_ that he actually had the nerve to touch her! I _think_ that--"

"Okay! Maybe it _is_ what you think. But Edward, she didn't have a choice! Mike called to ask Bella out, and Charlie answered the phone. He said yes for her, and wouldn't let her back out of it. She didn't want to go! That's good!" I groaned.

"Alice, he had his arm around her. He had his arm around_ my_ Bella!"

"Newsflash, Edward. She's not _your_ Bella anymore. You gave up all rights to her when you decided to leave Forks. She's fair game, now."

"Don't you ever say that. She's mine. I don't care how far away from her I am, and I don't care how much I don't deserve her. She _is_ mine. Always."

"Edward, honestly. Go back to her. You know you want to, and you're helpless without her. Just go back."

Nothing had ever sounded more appealing. If I decided to leave tonight, I could be back in Forks by tomorrow afternoon. Back in my Bella's arms.

"I can't. I can't do that to her."

Alice snorted.

"You can't do that to her? Look what you're doing to her _now_, Edward. You're literally killing her!"

She let another picture slip into her mind. Bella was sitting on the floor beside her bed, clutching the comforter in her small hands. She had her knees pulled up to her chest, and her head resting on her knees. I could see her trembling violently as her sobs echoed around her. This must have been the crying fit that she had been trying to hide with make-up. I wanted more than anything to comfort her, but she was unreachable. Just a picture in my head.

"Edward? Edward!"

I opened my eyes and was surprised to find myself on my knees.

"Are you alright?"

I dropped forward, slamming my fists against the floor. I heard the wood splinter, but I was too far gone to care. My body shook as I sobbed tearlessly, and Alice just stood in front of me in shock.

"Edward, I'm sorry. I didn't think…"

"I need her, Alice," I choked out. It was the first time I had fully admitted it to myself, let alone anyone else. "I can't survive without her. It—it hurts too much."

"Oh, Edward." Alice sank to the floor beside me and wrapped her arms around my still shuddering frame. "Go back to her. She would take you back."

"Did you see it?" I was curious now. Why hadn't she told me this?

"No, but I know Bella. And she's just as miserable as you are, if not more."

I was tempted. I could be with her, make her happy. I wouldn't feel this sharp, unbearable pain any more. But I couldn't. I couldn't end her life like that.

"Alice, no. I won't. I can't. As hard as staying away is, it would be even worse to take her life from her. She deserves a life."

"Are you honestly so stupid? Do you really think she wants to live if you aren't there? She's close to suicidal, Edward!"

I stopped breathing. Bella couldn't—no. She wouldn't kill herself for me.

"Breathe," Alice commanded. "I said she's close. I would see any plans like that long before she acted on them. She needs you. Go back."

"No. That's my final decision."

Alice gasped.

"What? What is it?"

Her face was blank, and I could tell that she was having a vision. I watched as the scene played out in her mind, a furious snarl escaping my throat. I was on my feet in one one-hundredth of a second.

"Forget I said all of that. We're leaving for Forks. Tonight."

**A/N: How'd I do? I personally love this chapter, but I'm a little bit biased. So I think you should tell me what YOU think. I would love to know. Please review.**

**Love you all.**


	4. Agony

**Author's Note: Wow, it's been a while. I'm really sorry about that, I just got caught up in "Lovestruck". However, I think that this chapter is well worth the wait. Many of you were frantically asking what Alice saw, and you're about to find out.**

**So I had this crazy dream about Edward. We went on a date, and he was taking me home. At the door, he leaned in to kiss me, and right as his lips were about to touch mine...I woke up and remembered that I don't own _Twilight_. Gah.**

**So here we go!**

"Edward, calm down. You're overreacting."

"Am I, Alice?" I snapped. "After what you saw, you want to tell me that I'm _overreacting_? You can't be serious."

I was behind the wheel of my Aston Martin Vanquish, and Alice was sitting in the passenger seat, her knees pulled up to her chest. I glanced at the speedometer and noticed that I was pushing 190. That was why I loved the Vanquish. It's so much faster than my Volvo. I eased off the accelerator until the car was speeding along at 150, but that was as slow as I would permit myself to travel. I had to get back to Forks. Back to Bella. She needed me.

"I know you're angry because of what he did, but she's not hurt _physically_. Emotionally, on the other hand…"

"Thank you, Alice. I'm well aware of Bella's emotional state right now. I don't need you waving it in front of my face every five seconds."

"Well it's your own fault," she reminded me for the thousandth time. "Maybe if you hadn't decided to leave, things wouldn't be this way. Bella wouldn't be in pain, you would be happy, and Mike Newton wouldn't be trying to plant one on her!"

"'Trying to plant one on her'? He practically assaulted her!"

That had been Alice's vision.

_Mike pulled his Suburban into Bella's driveway, parking it right behind Charlie's cruiser. He had conveniently parked it in a location that was not visible from the front window, where Charlie was undoubtedly standing. He turned to Bella._

"_I had a great time, Bella."_

"_Yeah. Me too," she replied halfheartedly._

"_You look so hot. Did I tell you that already?"_

_Bella cringed before answering._

"_You might have mentioned it once or twice."_

"_Oh, well…"_

_There was a long, awkward silence, and Bella was the one to break it._

"_Well, I guess I'll see you at school on Monday." Her hand was on the door handle, ready to escape the confines of the vehicle. Mike seemed to snap out of some sort of trance, and he sprang into action._

"_Wait! Bella?"_

"_Yeah, Mike?"_

_Mike leaned toward Bella, his one hand grabbing her face. The other hand found it's way onto her waist as he attacked her mouth with his. Bella froze in shock at first, but then struggled. Mike held onto her firmly. She finally managed to pull away, glaring at him incredulously._

"_What was that?"_

"_You liked it, huh? Come here, baby, and I'll give you some more."_

_He locked his fist into the hair on the back of Bella's head, dragging her face back to his. She yelped as he crushed his lips against hers, but he mistook it for a moan of pleasure and immediately forced his tongue into her mouth. Bella placed both hands on Mike's chest and heaved. He pulled back an inch, looking extremely confused. _

"_Please, Mike. No more," Bella whimpered. She was on the verge of tears._

_The confusion that had been so prominent on Mike's face changed into an unmistakable fury. _

"_This is about Cullen, isn't it!? You wouldn't have said no to __**him**__!"_

_Bella's expression turned into one of extreme pain. She looked like she would begin crying hysterically any second. _

"_I…" she began, making sure her voice wouldn't break. "I loved him, Mike. More than you can possibly know. More than anyone knew. More than __**he**__ knew! You expect me to go on one date with you and be over him?"_

"_Obviously not," Mike retorted. "Bella, face the facts. Cullen's been gone for seven months! He's not coming back. He doesn't want you anymore. Get the hell over him!"_

_Bella's face crumpled in agony, and she threw open the door of Mike's Suburban. She jumped out, almost falling on her face, and slammed the door as hard as she possibly could before running for the house._

I wanted to kill Mike Newton. I wanted to rip him apart limb from limb. Words could not describe the pain I wanted to inflict on that pathetic human being. I focused on breathing deeply. Though I didn't need the oxygen, it calmed me down, made me less irrational. I pinched the bridge of my nose between my thumb and forefinger, willing the fury I felt to dissipate.

Alice stiffened in her seat as she experienced another vision.

_Bella was on her bed looking up at the ceiling, tears flowing freely from her eyes. She shook slightly as she cried, whispering words so softly that the human ear could not pick them up. _

"_Why? Why Edward? Why did you leave me? I loved you. So much. I still do. All I ever wanted was forever with you. That's all. Nothing more. I just want to be with you."_

I pulled off the road and stared silently at Alice as the vision continued.

"_I would give anything to have you back. I don't know how much longer I can do this. Life without you isn't life. It's just…time. It passes so slowly. Every second without you feels like a day. A day longer than I want to live. I don't want to be here anymore. Save me, Edward. I need you."_

The vision ended, and I looked straight ahead, seeing nothing.

"Edward? I think you should let me drive."

I nodded dumbly and got out of the car, walking around to the passenger side. I lowered myself in, still in a stupor.

"Are you alright?" Alice asked, clearly concerned for my mental well-being.

"What do you think? Do I really look alright, Alice?" I asked, completely numb.

"Honestly, you look like hell, Edward. But everything's going to be alright. We'll be back in Forks soon, and you and Bella can work things out. Okay? Everything will be set right in a few hours. Obviously," she paused long enough to bring an image of a sobbing Bella into her mind, and I winced. "Bella still wants you. So you go to her and tell her everything. Tell her why you left, why you came back, and make her see that you still love her."

"That doesn't fix everything. Sure, she wants me back, but that doesn't change the fact that I'm wrong for her. She deserves to grow old with someone, to have children and be happy. I can't give her any of that. _Regardless_ of what she thinks, I'm hindering her. She could have so much more than me, and she should. And what if any one of us hurts her? What If _I _hurt her? I would never be able to live with myself. But on the other hand, I need her. So damn much…" I trailed off, burying my head in my hands. A few seconds later, I felt Alice's hand on my arm.

"You know what I think?" she asked, a small smile in her voice. "Well, obviously you do, but that's beside the point. I think that Bella doesn't care if she can't grow old, or have children, or do any other human thing. She wants _you_, Edward. She doesn't care what the consequences of that decision are. And as for you hurting her, I don't think you could inflict any pain or suffering on her that she hasn't already gone through."

"Are you insinuating that I could do no worse than leave her?"

"Yes, Edward. That's exactly what I'm saying. She would gladly take death over what she's going through right now. I don't think you or I have ever known the kind of pain she's in."

"In case you didn't realize, Alice, I'm without a soul mate, too. I think I know _exactly_ what kind of pain she's in."

"No, I really don't think you do," she said, slightly annoyed. "You're the one in control of the situation. _You_ left. _You_ decide when or if you go back to her. You know exactly where she is and if she's safe or not. You know that you still love her and that she loves you. Bella, on the other hand, has no control whatsoever. She has no idea where in the world you are. Can you imagine that pain, knowing that the one you love is out there somewhere, but not knowing where? On top of that, she thinks that you're never coming back. And most importantly, Edward, she thinks that you are no longer in love with her. That has to be the most excruciating thing of all. Do you want to tell me now that you're in as much agony as she is? Because I'm pretty sure it's impossible."

"Oh…my…God…" I was in disbelief. How could I not have realized this before? "What have I done to her? I'm…oh, God, I'm…"

"Shhhh. It's going to be alright, Edward. We're only 100 miles from Forks. You'll be back in her arms before you know it."

I hadn't even realized that we were moving again, but I glanced out the window to see trees speeding past me in the dark. The clock on the dashboard read 12:30 A.M., and it was obvious that I had overestimated the amount of time it would take to reach Forks. Perhaps we were so ahead of schedule because of my desperate pace. I didn't care about time, though. I cared about nothing. Nothing besides my Bella. _Bella_. I would be with her again soon. An hour at the most. I sighed and leaned my head back against the headrest, closing my eyes.

I spent the remaining hour with my angel beside me.

**A/N: So there it is! Let me know what you think. I have some crazy plans for the next chapter…So I'll update as soon as I can. "Lovestruck" is my #1 priority right now, but I **_**will**_** work on this one too. I pinky promise.**

**Review!!!**

**Love you all.**


	5. Hello, Goodbye

**Author's Note: Yay! Another update! Man, start calling me "butter", because I'm on a roll! Okay, so that joke was totally cheesy, but the chapter is pretty awesome. At least **_**I**_** think so. So read it and let me know.**

**I was hanging out with Alice and Edward the other day, having a good time. We were just chilling out, watching movies, doing whatever. Alice totally gave me a kickass makeover and Edward kept telling me how beautiful I looked. Suddenly, Bella walked into the room, bitch-slapped me, and told me that I don't own **_**Twilight**_**. Boo.**

**Here it is.**

Bella leaned toward me, her long, mahogany curls falling softly over her shoulder. She smiled sweetly and ran her warm hand across my cheek, my eyes closing of their own accord. The warmth of her skin was a welcome sensation, something I had been without for far too many months. Her finger grazed across my bottom lip, and the hot desire I always felt when I was near her flared in the pit of my stomach. I took a settling breath to keep myself in check, and then I slowly and carefully closed the distance between us. Her soft lips pressed gently against mine, and the burning desire was joined by a scorching sensation in my throat. I pushed that sensation to the back of my mind and focused solely on Bella. She was here, and she loved me. Despite what I had done to her, she somehow still had room for me in her heart, and that made me feel indescribable. My hands traced her face, reacquainting myself with every beautiful feature. She pulled away momentarily and whispered my name before bringing her mouth back to mine.

"Edward."

She was fading. My angel was leaving me, and I could do nothing to stop her. It was exactly what I had done to her, and a fresh wave of despair washed over me.

_Bella!_ I tried to call out to her, but my voice wasn't working. She was almost completely gone now.

"Edward," she called again. "Edward!"

My eyes snapped open, and I turned to glance at Alice. She chuckled and re-focused on the road.

"Man, if I didn't know any better, I would have thought you were sleeping. What were you thinking about?"

"Bella." And oh, it was the sweetest delusion.

"I should have known. I just wanted to tell you that we're almost there."

I breathed a sigh of relief as I looked out the window at the familiar forests. We passed a sign welcoming us to the city of Forks, but to me, it said "Welcome Home." The most incredible feeling coursed through me, and it felt like things might work out all right after all.

The car suddenly swerved off the road, and I glared at Alice in disbelief.

"What the hell, Alice?"

She stared blankly ahead, a look of pure horror on her face.

"No!" she cried frantically before unblocking her thoughts.

_Bella was sitting on the floor of her bedroom, fiddling with something that I couldn't see. She groaned in frustration and stood up, walking across the room to turn on the light beside her bed. She returned to where she had been seated, picking something up and carrying it over to her nightstand, sitting down on her bed. Her hands were trembling as she held the object where she could see it more clearly. The light glinted off of the small piece of metal, and I instantly realized what it was: a razor blade. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes momentarily, and when she opened them, there was no trace of fear._

"_Edward," she murmured. "This is for you. I love you so much. I always will."_

_She pressed the blade to her wrist and moved it slowly across her skin. The blood seeped out of the cut, pooling up on her arm and running down her hand. It dripped onto the floor, creating small puddles of scarlet. The razor fell to the floor with a tiny clang, and Bella collapsed on her bed, unconscious. Then everything went black._

"No," Alice whispered, defeated. "We're not going to make it."

"Alice!" I roared, panic heavy in my voice. "How long do we have?!"

"Um, about two minutes."

"And how far from her house are we?"

"About five miles," she replied gravely.

"Go faster! We need to get there. NOW!"

"You're car won't get us there in time. You need to run."

"What if I don't make it?"

"GO!" she commanded.

I leapt from the car and ran. I ran faster than I ever thought was possible, but it was physically impossible for me to go slower. Bella was going to kill herself, and it would all be my fault. But what if I got there and she'd already cut herself? Would I be able to restrain myself, or would I be the active cause of her death? I couldn't think about that. I _would_ make it there in time. I didn't have a choice. I arrived on Bella's street, and I took the last five bounds or so to her house, springing lithely up the tree and standing on the limb outside her window. She was sitting on her floor, fiddling with the razor, and a small sigh escaped my lips. I wasn't too late. I grabbed the bottom of the window and slid it open silently, not disturbing Bella from her…activities. A rush of air hit me like a freight train, and Bella's scent almost knocked me off my feet. It was the sweetest combination of freesia, lavender, and a hint of strawberries, all mixed with fire. The scent of her burned my throat, but I forgot all about the dry sensation as she stood up and turned around, heading for the light on her nightstand.

"Bella," I murmured. Her head snapped up and toward the window, her tear-stained face creating a heartbreaking but beautiful mask of pain. She stared at me, eyes wide, and the silence that stretched between us was unbearable. Finally, she spoke, her voice trembling.

"E-Edward?"

I smiled encouragingly. "Yes, love. It's me."

She smiled briefly, and then her face crumpled. She darted to the spot on the floor, picking up the razor. She turned toward me again, keeping her eyes locked on mine.

"Bella, please. Put it d--" A sob escaped her throat, cutting me off.

"God, when will it end?! I can't…I can't keep imagining you here. This is killing me!"

"Please, love. Put the razor down," I begged her, taking another step closer.

"Don't! Don't come any closer. Please," she was pleading with me, agony plain in her voice.

"Bella, you aren't hallucinating. I'm here. I'm back."

"Please just stop," she whispered desperately. "Just leave me alone to die."

She honestly planned to kill herself. She wanted to end her life, and it was all my fault. We were both silent for an immeasurable period of time.

"No. I won't leave you. Never again, I promise." She snorted, rolling her eyes in sarcastic disbelief. "What? You don't believe me?"

"How can I believe you when you aren't even here?! I felt myself slipping away over the past seven months, and now, well, I guess I've completely lost it. But as far as delusions go, this is the most realistic one yet." I stood with my mouth agape. She'd hallucinated about me before? I stayed perfectly motionless as she continued with her little rant. "Your eyes…they're exactly the same as I remembered. And your face, your body, everything…God, you're beautiful." Her thoughtful expression faded, replaced by anger. "How could you leave me? Didn't you realize what it would do to me? Jesus, Edward! I loved you! I _still_ love you! That's why I can't be here anymore. I just can't take the pain. I need to end this once and for all. So I guess this is goodbye. Again. I love you." She raised the hand holding the razor and inched it slowly toward her left wrist, sucking in a deep breath and closing her eyes.

"Bella!" I cried in desperation. Her eyes snapped open, focusing on mine. "Please don't do this. I'm here. I need you. _I love you_."

"You…love me?"

"Yes, Bella. Yes. I love you more than any one person has other loved another. You don't know how it's tortured me to be away from you. I can't be without you any longer. I'm back, Bella. And I'm here to stay. Right beside you, no matter what. I swear on my existence, I'll never leave you again."

Her eyes softened, but I could see that she was still wary.

"But how do I know for sure? How do I know you aren't just another hallucination?" I thought for a brief second.

"Put the razor down first, love." She opened her hand slowly and the tiny piece of metal hit the floor with a small clang.

"Now what?" she asked.

I knew exactly how I would show her that I was here. As I closed the distance between us in two strides, I wasn't sure if I was doing this _entirely_ for Bella's sake. I needed to feel her, to make sure that she was still the same Bella I remembered. For the most part, she looked the same, just sadder. Her eyes didn't dance with excitement as they once had. Instead, they stared back at me, deep but empty pools of chocolate. Right before I reached her, I was sure I saw some spark of electricity in those beautiful orbs, but I needed her too much to be one hundred percent sure. I carefully took her face in my hands, pausing when my lips were just half an inch from hers, testing my self control. I had been away from Bella for so long that I wasn't sure if this was safe. Strangely, though, all I felt was pure need that pulled me to her like a gravitational force. She exhaled, whispering my name like a prayer.

"Oh, Edward…"

And then I not-so-gently touched my lips to hers.

No experience in my 90-some years could ever come close to comparing to the feel of Bella's lips against mine. Kissing her for the first time in seven months was like being reborn. I kissed her sweetly, adoringly, and although I initiated the kiss, she soon took control. Her warm hands snaked up my neck and into my hair, holding me to her exactly like she used to. I sighed, and she shivered before pulling herself tightly against me, molding her soft body to my marble frame. Despite the fact that I had been gone so long and had grown unaccustomed to her scent, I didn't feel the need to pull away as I usually did when things went this far. Instead, I moved my hands to Bella's waist, picking her up so her face was on the same level as mine. She wrapped her legs around my waist, holding herself up while my hands worked their way up to her back. I pulled away for a moment, remembering something crucial.

"Breathe, love."

Bella sucked in a deep, shuddering breath and crushed her mouth to mine with all the strength that her fragile human body could muster. I chuckled deep in my throat, ignoring the fire that was exponentially building there. I kissed her back, holding her as tightly as I could without crushing her, but when her tongue swept across my lower lip, the fire flared hotter than ever, and I pulled away, closing my eyes and focusing on gaining control.

"I'm sorry," she murmured, chuckling a little. "I kind of forgot."

I opened my eyes to see Bella staring at me, still inches from my face. Either my imagination was playing tricks on me, or some of that lost excitement was back in her eyes, making Bella shine with radiant beauty. I smiled and kissed the tip of her nose, marveling in the silky-smooth texture of her skin.

"You really scared me for a moment, there," I confessed, walking her over and placing her on the bed. I sat down beside her, taking her hand in mine. "I thought you were going to take yourself away from me forever."

"Yeah? Well now you know how I felt. I thought you were never coming back. And life without you isn't life at all, Edward. I'd rather die than be without you again. I need you. But more importantly, I need _you_ to need _me_. If you're back just because Alice saw my little…_episode_…in a vision, then I want you to tell me. I can't start thinking that you're back for good if you're just going to leave again. If you say you're staying, then you need to promise me. Swear to me, Edward, that you'll stay forever."

"Bella," I said, taking her face in my hands once again. She glanced downward, avoiding my intense stare. "Bella, look at me." She kept her eyes down. "_Please_ look at me." She grudgingly met my gaze, and I smiled slightly. "Love, I don't know how to put my need for you into words. These past seven months have been the worst of my entire existence. I wasn't going to make it much longer without you, I knew it. But somehow, I couldn't bring myself to return to you. I didn't want to ruin any chance you might have had at a normal life. That's why I left, love. You deserve a life devoid of vampires. You deserve to live a long happy life with someone who can love you without restraint. But theory was far easier than practice when Alice had a vision of you with that…that vile Mike Newton. I was feeling so many things; I couldn't keep track of them all. Jealousy, rage, despair, _longing_. I longed to be back in your arms, Bella. So Alice and I drove back. When we were just miles from here, there was another vision."

"Edward, I'm so…I'm so sorry. I never--"

"No, Love. Don't apologize. I should be the one doing that. But let me finish first. Alice had another vision. But in this one, I saw the most important thing of my life taking herself away from me. I was coming back for you, but you were leaving. I can't even begin to tell you how afraid I was. It was excruciating, the thought of you being gone, no longer alive as I wished you to be. All I could think about was making it here in time to stop you. I had to tell you that I lied. Before, in the forest. When I told you I didn't want you, it was the darkest and most horrible lie I could have ever fabricated. I had to tell you that I loved you. I never stopped loving you, Bella, and I swear to you I never will. If you'll let me, I want to spend every second of every hour of every day proving that to you. I'm so sorry I left you, and I will never forgive myself for it. I'm not asking for your forgiveness, because I know that it's impossible to forgive me for such a thing, but I'm asking for your understanding. I need you to understand why I left, why I stayed away, and why I came back. I love you, Bella. And I will for the rest of _eternity_."

Tears were flowing silently down Bella's cheeks, and I leaned forward to kiss them away.

"I understand, Edward, and I forgive you. You said I don't have to forgive you, but I do. I love you so much it hurts. All I want is to spend the rest of forever with you."

I wrapped her into an embrace, both of us silent.

"Edward, I need you to do something for me."

"Anything, love."

"Kiss me again," she commanded.

And I obliged without further argument.

**A/N: Review! Let me know what you think! Seriously, you guys are the best.**

**Love you all.**


	6. Enough

**Author's Note: Hello darling readers! I have a pretty good chapter for you, and it's definitely the longest one yet. After you read, I would most definitely appreciate reviews. Also, I'm running a little low on ideas for this story, so if you have any desire to see this story continue, pretty please drop me a line. Ideas would be simply marvelous. **

**Don't fear. I do know where I want the story to go, but I just need filler material. No idea is stupid. So if you have one, let me know. Thanks!**

**Disclaimer: I went to the movies with Edward last weekend to see "The Uninvited". For those of you that don't know, it's a horror movie, and I'm not that great with those. So we were sitting there at a really suspenseful part, and I was practically on the edge of my seat. I felt something cold on my shoulder, and I jumped like 10 feet in the air. Edward chuckled, and he pulled me toward him, draping his arm around me.**

"**Are you alright, love?" Oh. My. God. He called me "love"! I nodded, smiling. He leaned toward me, and his cold lips pressed against mine. I sighed, and we totally started making out. Wow. Kissing Edward Cullen. Could life get better than this? **

**I felt another hand on my shoulder, warmer this time. I reluctantly broke away from Edward and glared at the owner of the hand. It was Bella. Oh shit.**

"**Yeah, sorry to break this up," she said. "But last time I checked, you don't own **_**Twilight**_**."**

**On with the story.**

"It's time to wake up, love."

"Mmm," Bella mumbled, exhaustion transforming her voice into a breathy sigh. I chuckled and leaned forward, placing a gentle kiss on her forehead. The corners of her mouth turned up into a small smile, and she rolled so that she was facing away from me. Although she was pretending to be fast asleep, I knew that she was faking it. Bella isn't the most talented actress in Forks.

"Bell-a," I sang. "You're going to be late for school, so I suggest you get out of bed. Unless, of course, you would rather I brought Charlie in here to help you wake up. I'm sure he'd react marvelously to the idea that I spent the night with his daughter."

I heard rather than saw her eyes flutter open, and she turned to face me.

"Hi," she said sweetly, tilting her chin up toward my face. Sensing what she wanted, I leaned down and kissed her lips softly, lingering until she pulled away, panting slightly. "I really missed that."

"What did you miss?" I inquired.

"Kissing you, falling asleep with you here…Basically everything about you. I wouldn't even be able to begin to tell you how much." She blushed, and I ran my fingertips along the beautiful patch of scarlet.

"Bella, I would tell you how much I missed you, but you wouldn't believe me if I did."

"Try me," she challenged.

I took a deep, unnecessary breath before beginning. "Love, the way I felt… 'missing you' isn't potent enough to describe the…the yearning I felt for you. God, Bella. The only thing I could think about was you. Every second of every day, I remembered how it felt to hold you in my arms, and it nearly killed me. I was numb without you. I felt nothing, and I didn't want to. I wanted to cut off all ties from anything and everything that wasn't you, and that's exactly what I did. I went home once every other month, but I couldn't bear to be around my family. Seeing them with their other halves physically hurt. I can't describe to you the _pain--_" She opened her mouth to interrupt, but I gently rested a finger on her lips. "But you know that pain, don't you?" She nodded her head solemnly, her lower lip trembling. I moved the finger that was resting there and traced her lip with my thumb, watching as more blood rushed up to color her cheeks. "I know I've said before that I don't have a soul, but I realized that I was wrong. _You_ are my soul, Bella, and without you, I was _nothing_. I _am_ nothing."

She smiled up at me, her eyes glistening with tears. "Edward," she started, swallowing before she continued. "The past seven months were by far the worst of my life, but now that you're here, I can barely remember them. It's like you coming back into my life is enough to erase all of the horrible memories. I've decided that I'm not going to dwell on that awful period of time, and you shouldn't either. It hurt, but it's over, and I'm going to focus on right now. All that matters to is that you're with me again."

I wrapped my arms around her, pulling her soft body against mine. She shivered, whether from the temperature of my skin or the desire to be close to me, I don't know, but she snuggled willingly into my chest.

After a few long moments, I released her, reminding her that she still had to get ready for the day.

"Aren't you going to school?" she asked hopefully, but guessing what my answer would be.

"I can't, Bella, not until the rest of the family gets back into town. It would look too suspicious if two of Carlisle's 'children' appeared at the high school before he went back to work at the hospital. But I promise, I'll be waiting here when you get home this afternoon." She nodded, reluctantly leaving the room to shower and get dressed.

Bella returned 30 minutes later, her damp hair falling in curls over her shoulders. She was dressed in the dark blue shirt I'd complimented when we'd gone to La Bella Italia so many months ago, and she wore a small smile on her perfectly delicious lips. Pride swelled in my chest as I realized that she was _mine_.

"You look stunning," I told her reverently, watching her cheeks grow redder by the second.

"Thank you," she murmured quietly, shuffling her feet. I strode over to her, placing a finger under her chin and lifting her face to mine.

"Will you be driving yourself to school?"

"Yes," she answered. "You said that no one can know that you're back yet, so I kind of have to."

"We could run," I suggested, already knowing what she would say.

"Um, thank you, but I would really rather drive myself." I chuckled before kissing her tenderly, taking her bottom lip between both of mine and then pulling away, trailing soft kisses across her cheek and along her jaw. I continued down her neck, stopping when I felt her pulse pounding under my lips, and I flicked my tongue against the delicate skin that separated me from her oh-so-tempting blood. That tantalizing inch of tender flesh tasted sweeter than anything I'd ever tasted, and I groaned against her throat, eliciting a gasp from her positively perfect mouth. Sensing that I'd crossed the boundaries enough for one day, I removed my lips from Bella's neck, resting my forehead against hers. We were both breathing heavily.

"Edward," she sighed. "As much as I hate to end this, I _really_ must get to school." We walked out to her beaten-down truck, and I opened the driver side door for her. I kissed her quickly, chastely, and I pulled away as she tried to prolong the contact. One side of my mouth pulled up into her favorite crooked grin when I caught sight of the pout on her face.

"Isabella," I whispered, noting the scowl she gave me at the use of her full name. "I will be here when you get home. Have a wonderful day, love."

She smiled and climbed into the truck, and I closed her door as quietly as I could manage, waving at her as she drove off. As soon as she was out of sight, I ran back to my house. The yard was overgrown, the grass standing almost as tall as my knees, and the house itself seemed somehow forlorn. I bounded up the front steps, and the door opened when my hand was just inches from it.

"Edward!" Alice screamed, launching herself at me. "Oh, Edward! You did it, you saved her! And she took you back!" I beamed, just now recognizing the possibility that Bella could have refused me. "Just like I said she would," Alice added smugly.

"Yes, yes. You told me so."

"I didn't think you were going to make it in time to stop her. For a second, I saw it. You got there just after she cut herself, and there was so much blood…It was awful. You ran over to her, pulled her off the bed, and you…you sank your teeth into her throat."

"Alice!" I was horrified.

"Will you let me finish?" she snapped. "So you bit her. It looked like you were going to suck out whatever life she had left in her. And then...you pulled away from her, Edward. You stopped." I felt my jaw go slack, and I couldn't believe what Alice had just said. "And of course, then she started twitching and screaming and you just held her. You changed her. Successfully."

"I…" I started, but trailed off, not knowing what to say.

"But then, you _did_ make it, and I, of course saw the whole scene play out in front of me. And well, I'm super-happy for you, man. It looks like things are back to how their supposed to be."

"Alice, you saw me change Bella."

"Yeah, so? It was a possibility at the time, but you made it there in time to save her. No harm done."

"But I never would have changed her."

"You say that now, Edward, but if it were between you changing Bella and her dying some untimely death, can you seriously say that you would let her die? You would just stand by and watch as she lay dying? I don't think so."

I thought about it for a moment and decided that Alice was right. If I had arrived _after_ Bella had cut herself, I would not have just stood there as she died. I would have tried my best to save her. She means too much to me for me to just stand by as her life slips away. _But that's exactly what I was going to do. That was the point of me leaving. I was going to let her grow old and eventually die._

The idea seemed impossible to me now. I had used all of my strength in staying away for those many months, and now that I was once again feeding my hopeless addiction to Bella, there was no way I would be strong enough to leave again. I would never leave Bella again. I would stay with her. Forever.

"Ooooh!" Alice squealed, clapping her hands as she bounced up and down. "I just saw it. You _are_ going to change her!"

"No, I'm not," I said defiantly.

"Edward, I saw it. You just subconsciously made the decision. It's going to happen. Maybe not right away, but it's coming." She clapped again. "I'm going to have to start shopping for Bella. If she's going to be a Cullen, she'd better start dressing like one. And once we graduate in June, you two will get married, of course—"

"Alice! I'm not changing Bella."

"Dude, you totally are. As soon as I said that you wouldn't let her die, you started thinking about how that's what you originally planned to do, and you realized that you could never watch her life end. Blah, blah, blah…you're going to change her."

"Can you read my mind or something?" I asked suspiciously.

"No, I just know you. Anyways, I'm leaving. I have to do some shopping for Bella. Do you want to come with me? You can help me pick out some of her clothes; I know how you love it when she wears blue."

"Sorry, I already have plans," I informed her.

"Oh yeah, I guess you would. Have fun spying on Bella today."

"You know I will," I said, chuckling.

Alice left a few minutes later, and I ran to Forks High School, seeing as how Alice took the Vanquish to Olympia. I hid in the forest behind the school, listening to the minds of Bella's friends. _Yeah, Edward_, I thought. _This isn't stalker-like at all._ I listened to Jessica first, and I was surprised by the unpleasant thoughts that she had about Bella. I guess they severely drifted apart during the past few months. She mainly thought about how she could get Mike back, since apparently the whole school knew that he and Bella went on a date. _I can't believe he got to third base with that…that slut. He only ever kissed me. And seriously, what does Bella have that I don't? Besides a history with Edward Cullen. Damn, it's a shame that he doesn't go to our school anymore. Maybe he and I would be able to get together. I sure wouldn't mind a roll in the hay with him._

I almost gagged, completely repulsed by the idea. I was even more repulsed by the idea that Mike was telling the entire school that he got to third base with Bella. My angel would never dream of letting someone like Mike Newton get his filthy hands on her.

I moved on to Angela's thoughts. She was just as sweet and genuine toward Bella as she had always been, making sure no harm came to her. _Goodness, I would love nothing more than to punch Mike in the face. I can't believe him! Now half the school thinks that Bella is sleeping around, and the other half won't talk to her because they think she's a freak. On the bright side, she seems happier today, and thank gosh for that. She's been sad for too long, and I miss the happy Bella. Of course she's nowhere near healed, but I think it's a start. _

I knew I always liked Angela, and I was truly grateful that she had stuck by Bella for so long, even when no one else did. She was friends with Bella because she loved Bella, not because being friends with her could give her some sort of popularity boost. I would have to find some way to make it up to her. Maybe an acceptance to the college of her choice? I would figure it out eventually.

Last, but _certainly _not least, I listened to Mike's thoughts. It was more of a scene than words, and I realized that I was seeing what Mike was seeing. _Not very original_,_ Mike_, I thought, chuckling. He must have been focused on what was about to happen. My breath caught when I saw what exactly he was so intent on: Bella.

She was standing at her locker, trying to pry her English binder out of the pile of books on the bottom. Her feet were planted firmly on the floor, and the way she pulled the binder indicated that she was using every drop of strength she could muster. I smiled to myself as I watched her struggle through Mike's eyes.

_Damn, Bella looks fucking hot today_, Mike thought, his eyes raking up and down her body. I snarled under my breath. He shouldn't be referring to _my_ Bella in such a degrading way, and I wouldn't let him get away with it. Pinching the bridge of my nose between my thumb and forefinger, I closed my eyes, focusing again on his thoughts.

"_So, Bella. I just wanted to apologize for my behavior last night. It was completely out of line, I just couldn't control myself. You looked so hot." Bella notably flinched at his word choice._

There was that word again: "hot". I have never called nor will ever call Bella "hot", because she deserved so much more than what that word implied. She was beautiful, stunning, breathtaking, _perfect_…the list went on. "Hot" was a term used by hormonal teenage boys to describe a girl they wanted to have sex with, and judging by some of the things I'd picked out of Mike's mind, that was exactly the case. Before I'd left Forks, I'd once caught him mentally undressing Bella in the middle of lunch. Believe me, I'd wanted nothing more than to dash over to him and beat him senseless.

"_It's fine, Mike. I'm sorry if I led you on at all, and if I did, I didn't mean to," my angel spoke sweetly, kindly, but here eyes told me that she was nervous._

"_Well, I know how you could make it up to me…" Bella gulped audibly._

"_And how might I do that?" she inquired._

"_You could go out with me again on Friday. You know, get dinner, maybe head back to my place. The parental units are out of town this weekend, so it would just be you and me."_

"_Mike, if I didn't want to go out with you last night, what makes you think that this time will be any different?" Bella huffed, clearly getting frustrated._

"_You were having a bad day yesterday. Today is different, I can tell. You seem…happier, more like the old you. It was that kiss, wasn't it? Bella, when are you going to stop fighting and realize that you want me as much as I want you?" She laughed._

"_Mike, I don't know what planet you're living on, but I definitely don't want you. I'm sorry if I'm being mean, but it's the truth."_

Way to stand up to him, Bella. She has to be the strongest person I know. Suddenly, my phone went off, indicating a new text message from Alice.

_**Edward! Stay where you are. Don't do anything rash, everything will be fine. –Al.**_

What did she mean by that? I was about to get my answer.

"_Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to get home and make dinner for Charlie."_

_Okay, Mike. This is your shot, buddy. Make her want it._

Mike's arm shot out, wrapping around Bella's waist as he pinned her against the lockers. He assaulted her mouth with his, Bella struggling the entire time. Mike moved his mouth to Bella's throat, the very same spot I had worshipped this morning. A vicious growl crept up my throat as he attacked her. Bella, beautiful, strong, innocent creature that she is, moved her hands to Mike's hair, attempting to rip it out of his head. I knew this because Mike was thinking about it. Too bad he had it all wrong.

_Damn, she wants me. Maybe we should take this somewhere more private. The janitor's closet is just down the hall, and that would work well for a quick fuck. _

I roared at his last mental comment. Bella was a wonderful, incredible person who deserved to be loved and respected, not a piece of ass that could be used for a "quick fuck". All I wanted right now was to pummel him into oblivion.

Bella's hands were pulling at Mike's hair, and she finally managed to pry him away from her neck, which was now covered in large, red blotches. I wanted to vomit. Too bad that's physically impossible for me. Bella's raised her arm to the level of her head and swung it forward, slapping Mike right across his pathetic face.

Way to go, beautiful.

However, Mike wasn't having any of that. His hand slid from her waist, moving down her hip and around to the back of her body. Bella gasped as he squeezed, and she struggled harder against him.

"_Bella, baby. I know what you want, because believe me, I want it too. So calm down, okay? Trust me, the __**last**__ thing I'm going to do is hurt you. As a matter of fact, I'm gonna make you feel really good."_

I was on my feet when my phone went off again.

_**Sit back down. Bella is going to be alright. You can deal with Newton later.**_

It took everything I had to sit down on the ground again and watch as Mike assaulted the love of my existence.

Suddenly, he keeled over in pain, falling to the ground.

_Fuck_. That was all he was thinking as he watched Bella run full-speed away from him. She was headed toward the West exit, the one nearest to where I was hiding. I stood and ran to the door, reaching it just as she emerged. She had tears falling down her face as she threw herself into my arms.

"Edward," she sobbed.

"Shh. I'm here, love. He won't hurt you anymore." I picked her up, carrying her bridal-style to where I had been watching from in the woods. She shook in my grasp, and I smoothed her hair with my hand, whispering in her ear. "Bella, I don't care how it looks, I'm going to school with you tomorrow. I won't let that vile monster near you again, I promise. I'm going to protect you." I sank lithely to the ground, cradling her to my chest. She sniffled and looked up at me, her eyes glistening with her leftover tears. I smiled reassuringly, having to fake it more than a little bit. I was still infuriated, but I managed to keep my temper in check so I could comfort Bella. I placed one hand on the side of her face, guiding her head back so I was better able to examine her neck.

I gently traced the most prominent red mark with my index finger, grief consuming me. Bella shuddered as I drew soothing circles around the remaining spots, wallowing in guilt. I should never have let her venture off to school by herself, especially not when Newton was stalking around, trying to use her for his own selfish pleasure. _Newton_. I wanted to kill him. I bent down toward Bella, placing a gentle kiss right beneath the corner of her jaw.

"E-Edward," she stammered.

"What is it, beautiful?"

"I'm so sorry. I tried to get away from him, but I just…I just couldn't. He was too strong, and I--"

I cut her off, shaking my head slowly. She couldn't honestly be blaming herself for this. The idiot attacked her!

"Do _not_, for one second, think that this was your fault. You did nothing to bring this on yourself, and I'm already upset as it is, so stop attempting to take the blame for something you had no control over." She grimaced.

"I feel so…disgusting. Like I'm dirty or something. The whole time he was kissing me, all I could think about was how unfair it was to you that some other man should…touch me like that. I feel like I've wronged you somehow, Edward, and that hurts worse than any pain Mike could have inflicted on me." Her voice broke on the last word, and she buried her head in my shoulder once again, clinging tightly to me.

"Sweetheart, please," I crooned, kissing the top of her head. "You could never do me wrong. And as…disturbing as it was to see him treat you that way, I was only concerned for your safety. You should never be treated like that by _anyone_." She ducked her head. "Look at me, Bella," I commanded softly, and she did. "You are the purest, most beautiful person I've ever met, and I never want you to think that you are anything less. Do you hear me?" She nodded her head solemnly. "Good. Now let's get you home."

I carried her to her truck, placing her carefully in the passenger seat before walking around to the driver's side and sliding into the seat. I put the key in the ignition and twisted, and the truck roared to life.

"Bella?" I asked.

"Yeah?"

"What did you do to make Mike fall over? All I could catch was his obvious pain." Bella blushed furiously.

"I...uh...kicked him...you know, where guys don't really appreciate being kicked." I laughed.

"That's my girl," I told her.

I chuckled as I drove out of the school parking lot, one hand on the wheel, and the other holding Bella's hand on the seat. When I drove past her road, she looked at me confusedly.

"You _do_ know I live back there, correct?" I laughed.

"Yes, love. But we're going to my house. There's someone else who will be extremely happy to see you." Her beautiful eyes lit up.

"Alice?" she asked hopefully. I nodded, smiling. She beamed at me before turning to look out the window.

We pulled up to my house, and Alice, already back from her all-day shopping trip in Olympia, came dashing out to meet us. As soon as I turned off the truck, she flung open Bella's door, pulling her out of the vehicle and into a tight hug. I got out and walked slowly to where they were standing.

"Bella!" Alice squealed in delight. "I've missed you so much!"

"I missed you too, Alice. It's wonderful to see you!" Alice pulled away, doing a head-to-toe scan of Bella. _I wonder if Bella will wear the same size clothing after she's been changed. It would make shopping now a lot easier. _Then she turned to me.

"Hi, Edward."

"Alice," I greeted her back.

_Are you planning on telling Bella that you'll be changing her?_ She thought at me. I shook my head curtly, signaling the end of that particular topic. _Fine,_ Alice persisted. _You know you'll have to tell her sooner or later, right?_ I glared at her, letting her know that I wouldn't discuss this any further.

"Will you two stop having a mental conversation? I'm getting a headache trying to follow you," Bella complained. I smiled and wrapped my arm around her slender waist, marveling at the way her body felt against mine.

"Sorry," I murmured. "I was just about to ask Alice why she texted me and told me to stay where I was while you were getting mauled by Mike Newton." Bella cringed, and I ran my fingers up and down her side, and she leaned into me as they came to rest on her waist once again.

"Edward, you may _think _that you could have kept yourself under control while bludgeoning that awful Newton kid, but I saw the whole thing," she said, tapping the side of her head. "You would have lost it, beat him to a pulp, and he would have been taken to the hospital. And you know that Mommy and Daddy Newton could never let anyone get away with harassing their precious little boy, and there would have been a lawsuit, one thing would lead to another…we'd have to pack up and leave again." Bella stiffened beside me, and Alice noticed. "Of course, Bella would come with us this time. We're not going anywhere without her." Bella sighed and relaxed against me. "Bella, I cleaned up the house, and I know you've had a rough day, so if you want to go relax, you can."

My angel nodded before kissing my cheek and walking into the house. I watched her walk inside and then turned back to Alice, who was standing with her hands on her hips.

"What?" I asked indignantly. She smirked.

"Nothing, I just don't know why you're still trying to fight the idea of changing Bella. It's still going to happen."

"You don't know that," I snarled. She just laughed.

"Did you honestly just tell the psychic that she 'doesn't know that'? That's hilarious. But yeah, Edward, I _do_ know that. The vision is stronger now than it was this morning. That little tiff with Newton must have convinced you that she needs to be stronger so she can take care of herself."

"I'll take care of her."

"You say that, but you're thinking something completely different. You're going to change her," she sang, dancing around.

"Alice, I don't want to talk about this right now. Let's just go inside and spend a relaxing evening with Bella. She missed you."

"Alright, but promise me you'll talk to her. She loves you, Edward, and I know she'll jump at the chance to be like us. All she wants is to be enough for you."

"She'll always be enough for me," I answered.

"Yes, but _she_ doesn't think that she is. So give her a chance to defend her side before you jump all over her. Or hey, jump all over her. I'm sure Bella wouldn't mind at all," she said suggestively, winking at me.

"Oh, God. Let's go inside, Bella's waiting for us."

"You're right. Besides, I wouldn't want to give you any crazy ideas." She laughed, spinning around and prancing into the house. I exhaled, shaking my head to clear it of all the craziness.

I could have obliterated Mike Newton today, Bella felt that she wasn't good enough for me, and Alice swore up and down that I was going to change Bella. _I_, on the other hand, didn't know what to think. Of course I wanted forever with Bella, but how could she want to give up her life just to be with me?

Bella appeared in the doorway, smiling sweetly at me.

"Edward? Are you coming inside?" I grinned crookedly back at her.

"Yes, love. I'm coming." I walked toward her, and she held her hand out for me. I placed mine in it, loving the way our hands fit perfectly together. She gave a little tug, and I followed her into the house.

I would follow her anywhere.

**A/N: So there it is. Remember: reviews first, then ideas! And here's something else: The more reviews I get, the faster I'll update. Sound good?**

**Love you all.**


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